Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State referred to a reduction of 900 in the number of individuals in receipt of home help hours. In fact, there was a reduction of 847 at the end of July as against the position last December. However, with respect to the Minister of State, over the period of her tenure in office, there has been a reduction of 3,701 in the numbers receiving this service. As I said, this is not even the worst part of the story, nor does it take into account the growing numbers who cannot access home help hours or home care packages.

It is time to cut out the waffle and reverse these savage cuts to the most vulnerable people. We are talking about €8 million. Sinn Féin tabled a Private Members' proposal on this issue only a few weeks ago, the same week the Minister announced savings arising from his negotiations with the pharmaceutical sector of some €16 million before the end of this year.

Yet, on the back of that, he could not ringfence the cuts signalled in relation to older people. He proceeded to impose these savage cutbacks that are causing untold hardship for people in every constituency. The only answer I want to hear is that the Ministers of State will use their good offices to impact on the Minister that he will reverse these cuts, restore the home-help hours and home care packages to our citizenry who absolutely need them.

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